Hermetically sealed container, image display apparatus, and their manufacturing methods

Abstract

A hermetic container comprises first and second substrates and bonded by bonding members to form a hermetically sealed space therebetween. Second bonding members placed on both sides of a first bonding member to form the hermetically sealed space between the substrates are sandwiched between the substrates, thereby bonding the substrates together with the first bonding member. A height of first bonding member is higher than that of second bonding member and at least one of the substrates is elastically deformed and is bonded by the first bonding member and the second bonding members. Thus, the hermetic container in which a compressing force has been applied to a height direction of the first bonding member is obtained.

1 . A hermetic container comprising:
 first and second substrates placed in opposition to each other to firm a gap between the first and second substrates;   a first annular bonding member placed to enclose at least part of the gap between the first and second substrates, and bonded to the first and second substrates, so as to form a hermetically sealed space surrounded with the first annular bonding member and the first and second substrates; and   a second bonding member placed, between the first and second substrates, in a region different from a region in which the first annular bonding member is placed, and bonded to the first and second substrates, wherein   the second bonding member has a height smaller than a height of the first annular bonding member, at least one of the first and second substrates is elastically deformed, from a region bonded to the first bonding member to a region bonded to the second bonding member, so as to form a compressing force in a direction of the height of the first bonding member.   
     
     
         2 . The hermetic container according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of the first and second substrates is bonded to the first and second bonding members such that the region bonded to the first bonding member is spaced from the region bonded to the second bonding member.   
     
     
         3 . The hermetic container according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first bonding member is formed from glass frit and the second bonding member is formed from glass frit, inorganic adhesive, or organic adhesive.   
     
     
         4 . The hermetic container according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a height of the first bonding member at a center in a width direction of the first bonding member is larger than a height of the second bonding member at an end in the width direction of the first bonding member.   
     
     
         5 . The hermetic container according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second bonding member has a discontinuous portion.   
     
     
         6 . An image display apparatus comprising
 a hermetic container according to  claim 1 , as an envelope.   
     
     
         7 . A method for manufacturing a hermetic container, wherein the hermetic container comprises:
 first and second substrates placed in opposition to each other to firm a gap between the first and second substrates;   a first annular bonding member placed to enclose the gap, and bonded to the first and second substrates, so as to form a hermetically sealed space surrounded with the first annular bonding member and the first and second substrates, wherein the method comprises:   a step of arranging the first annular bonding member between the first and second substrates;   a step of arranging a second bonding member, between the first and second substrates, in a position different from a position in which the first annular bonding member is arranged;   a step of elastically deforming at least one of the first and second substrates, so that a distance between the first and second substrates at a region in which the second bonding member is arranged is shorter than a distance between the first and second substrates at a region in which the first bonding member is arranged;   a first bonding step of bonding the first bonding member to the first substrate, and bonding the first bonding member to the second substrate, to bond the first substrate to the second substrate through the first bonding member; and   a second bonding step of bonding the second bonding member to the first substrate, and bonding the second bonding member to the second substrate, to bond the first substrate to the second substrate through the second bonding member, wherein   at least one of the first and second bonding steps is performed under a state that the at least one of the first and second substrates is elastically deformed.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the first bonding member is formed from glass frit and the second bonding member is formed from glass frit, inorganic adhesive, or organic adhesive, and,   after bonding to the second bonding member, the first bonding member is heated to soften the first bonding member while keeping the at least one of the first and second substrates at the elastically deformed state.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the first bonding member is formed from glass frit and the second bonding member is formed from glass frit, inorganic adhesive, or organic adhesive.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein,
 in step of arranging the second bonding member, the second bonding member having a discontinuous portion is arranged.   
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing an image display apparatus comprising
 a method for manufacturing a hermetic container according to  claim 7 , as a method for manufacturing an envelope of the image display apparatus.